The coin depicts a Kyrenia ship, a trading vessel which dates back to the fourth century BC and a symbol of Cyprus's seafaring history and its importance as a centre of trade.

The Kyrenia ship is the wreck of a 4th-century BC Greek merchant ship. It was discovered by Greek-Cypriot diving instructor Andreas Cariolou in November 1965 during a storm. Having lost the exact position Cariolou carried out more than 200 dives until he re-discovered the wreck in 1967 close to Kyrenia in Cyprus.